Archived: NAS Outreach Services (Lancashire)

The aim of the service is to provide innovative and flexible support for people who want to develop their social skills, independent living skills, build confidence and take part in activities in their community. The service is available on a flexible basis, in response to people’s individually agreed support package. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care and support for five people as part of the regulated activity.

This was the provider’s first inspection following registration. We found the service was meeting the current regulations, however, we made one recommendation about making care plans more accessible to staff so that they can refer to them for guidance.

The service was managed by a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People’s relatives and staff spoken with had confidence in the registered manager and the leadership arrangements at the service.

The relatives we spoke with indicated they were satisfied with the service. Their comments included, “They are effective in how they provide support. It has been very successful” and “I think it is a good service they have been very obliging around flexibility.”

Relatives also made positive comments about the staff team including their attitude and their professionalism. Staff spoken with understood their role in providing people with person centred care and support.

Arrangements were in place to gather information on people’s backgrounds, their needs, abilities, preferences and routines before they used the service.

Each person had a support plan in place to direct staff on responding to their assessed needs and choices. We have made a recommendation

There was a focus upon promoting people’s confidence, independence and developing their skills. Staff expressed a practical awareness of promoting people’s dignity, rights and choices.

At the time of the inspection none of the people received support with medicines. People’s general health and wellbeing was monitored. Healthy eating was encouraged.

Character checks had been carried out before new staff started working at the service. Arrangements were in place to maintain appropriate staffing levels to make sure people received their agreed support, when they needed it, from people they were familiar with.

Staff spoken with were aware of the signs and indicators of abuse and they knew what to do if they had any concerns. Staff said they had received training on safeguarding and protection matters. They had also received training on positively responding to people’s behaviours.

There were systems in place to ensure all staff received regular training and supervision. This included specific training on autism and Asperger syndrome. We found some basic training was overdue but action had been taken to address this matter.

We found the service was working within the principles of the MCA (Mental Capacity Act 2005).

There were satisfactory processes in place to support people with any concerns or complaints. There was a formal system to manage, investigate and respond to people’s complaints and concerns.